Family fun on the Costa del Sol

There are hundreds of different reasons why people decide to move to the Costa del Sol, but chief among them is escaping the pressures and stresses of everyday life back home and opting instead for a laid-back, relaxed lifestyle in the sun. Sure, you will probably have to find a job, or perhaps you already have one lined up, but even with the reality of full-time employment eating into most of your time, the pace of life in southern Spain is a lot slower than in most other places – particularly northern Europe – and the days are so much longer.

Given the fantastic climate (on average the sun shines for more than 320 days a year) the great outdoors is where it all happens in southern Spain. There are countless activities to enjoy on the Costa del Sol, one of the most family-friendly places in the world, and your children will thank you for the rest of their days for deciding to relocate here. Let’s make one thing clear – children reign supreme in Spain. They are heralded, feted, fawned over, put on pedestals, prioritised and cherished. The Spanish absolutely adore children, and the Costa del Sol is a child’s dream playground.

Not only are there playgrounds at every turn, waterparks and zoos, sports grounds and swimming pools, there is also a big blue aquatic wonder on the doorstep lined with miles of that hole-digging, sand castle-making gritty substance that kids go nuts for. Love it or loathe it, sand is a factor of life on the Costa del Sol and even if you’re not a ‘beach person’ there’s no escaping the occasional trip to the seafront, be it for a family day out, a light lunch at a chiringuito (beach bar) or a few cocktails with friends (the beach is the primary socialising point in Spain during the summer, not the pub).

So what is there to do here? What will day-to-day life be like? What can you do as a family? What do you do on weekday evenings after work? How about those lazy Sundays when not much happens? How do you balance your weekly budget while still enjoying the benefits that living in one of the world’s foremost tourist spots brings? (Remember, once you are living here you are no longer a tourist and have to rid yourself of the notion that life is going to be one long holiday from here on in – unless of course, you’re lucky enough to be so financially secure that you don’t need to work). And what do you do on those very rare days when – heaven forbid – the sun does NOT shine and the rain teems down from leaden skies? What’s life like then?

VIVA’s guide to family fun and what to do in southern Spain will tell you all you need to know: